Xenogears: The Fan Novelization
by Noctisheart
Summary: My attempt at novelizing this grand game. I am trying to stay true to source while adding enough of my own insight and general details from the Perfect Works. This is being written as I play the game for the second time.
1. Prologue

I am Alpha and Omega.

The beginning, and the end.

The first, and the last.

_T.C. 4767_

_Unknown Regional Space_

Silently, but with a defining and purposeful speed, the Philadelphia Class Super Space Cruiser ELDRIDGE makes it's way though the stars. A missile, guided by a mission more urgent than can be told in whispers, it heads for it's impending destination. The only thing more impressive than the ELDRIDGE's lightning-speed is it's mammoth size. The ELDRIDGE's size is contained in many central blocks, unifying it and making it larger than a country.

The ELDRIDGE's precious and dangerous cargo is the reason for it's use, and it was constructed into a manner of detachable, enormous 'blocks' that separate the ship and make it easier to manage for it's captain and crew. It is constructed of the aptly named Babel and Mahanon. The ELDRIDGE, being the second colony ship in the Philadelphia Class, has an entire human colony that resides in the hull of the ship.

As the ELDRIDGE slides effortlessly through the inky blackness of space, it is easy to see the different compartments that make up the ship. The softly glowing lights of city streets can even be made out from the vantage point of a god, the cities leading into an opening in the ship's gunwale.

For the transfer of it's special cargo, the ELDRIDGE has been commissioned by the military, but only for a temporary basis. The eight members of the ELDRIDGE's crew are all military personnel, and even though they are understaffed they feel secure in the ease of their mission.

All 27 Billions tons and 42 kilometers of the ELDRIDGE are commanded by the soft, pliable, fragile flesh of human hands. The mission should be easy, the military has loaded enough firepower and personnel to make their journey a complete one.

In the vacuum of space, no sound can be heard. The emergency alerts in the bridge of the ELDRIDGE are of no concern to the darkness of space, but the eight-man crew inside is desperate to take care of their problem.

The holo-projected screens flash EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY, with utmost urgency. A problem has arisen.

The calm, womanly voice of the on-board NAV computer stoically announces the issues.

_Emergency. Emergency. Level 1._

The very young computer navigator calls out the issues as they flash before her screen.

"Omega One, restarting. Alpha One genome, restructuring. Confirming cell replacement. Spacecode: 85 million. 100 million! The speed is overwhelming!"

The next in-line computer tech takes over, a young woman with silver hair.

"Alpha One to Raziel Central, access confirmed. Initializing placement. Disconnecting."

The computer screen comes ablaze in light, the red trail of cores begin to separate. Problems arise exponentially in the blocks.

"Activating emergency shelter."

The first young computer NAV calls back to her screen.

"Denied! Contamination is spreading wide. Captain!" The girl cries, turning to face the gruff old man at the helm of the ship.

Special Corps Colonel Higeyoshi Inoue replies quickly to her, his mind racing while he tries to keep calm. This isn't his first brush with impending disaster, and the Technology Research Headquarters knew this when the military assigned him as Captain to the ELDRIDGE.

"Cut off the cables manually," Captain Inoue replies.

The young tech nods, turning back to her post and flicking off the glass cover for the small red 'emergency manual response' button. She presses it firmly.

"Roger, activating self-destruct bolts."

She twists the switch that appears next, which announces it's compliance with a satisfying _click_.

Deeper into the ship, between the cores that comprise the ELDRIDGE's special compartments, the doorway to core _Kadomony. _The emergency doors burst away from their place on the wall, shrouding the hallways in white steam. The emergency cut off that separated the cables that powered the special sections gave way, splitting the enormous cables. After a split second of lost contact, the signal between the cables restarted itself electrically, without aid of the emergency cut off door.

"No good, nothing happened."

"Omega One, they are attacking!"

"We can't stop him! Ninety-eight percent of our weapons have been taken over!"

The central core of the special section began to open, right above the heads of those in the colony. Captain Inoue hid his eyes behind the rim of his pilot cap, knowing full well what was going to happen.

He listened with a calm manner as his copilots announced that the auto-pilot systems had been taken over.

"Phase-space logic is being rewritten!"

Captain Inoue sighed, beads of sweat forming on his brow. The words seemed to crash over him in waves, the technical jargon getting lost amidst his rapid thoughts.

"An internal plane is forming!"

"Switching to space-displacement mode!"

"Alpha One, confirming transfer coordinate codes. The main planet!"

Captain Inoue leaped from his chair, placing each hand firmly on the metal plating in front of him.

"Damn! So they're planning on attacking!" He muttered, bringing a phone to his ear.

"Engine room, activate the emergency sealing system. Engine room? Engine room!"

Far away from Captain Inoue's eyes, the engine room no longer contained a soul, their bodies torn away by the bursting pipes and electrical machinery.

The dead tone beeped back in urgency, and the Captain sadly and quietly replaced the phone.

He looked up to see the central computer screens blaze with a glorious fire, spreading with a single sentence that seemed to reach deeply into the Captain's soul. His eyes flitted quickly as fear began to overtake him.

_Ye shall be as gods._

The Captain bowed his head.

"See that all civilians and passengers are transported to the escape shuttles. I will send a dispatch after evacuation is complete."

The three lead computer technicians in front of the Captain looked around worriedly, trying to gaze something from him.

"I am evacuating. All of you, evacuate now."

The colony was bursting to the brim in blind panic. All of the civilians rushed, without care for the safety of themselves or others, to the emergency escape shuttles. The Evac-nauts outside of the ELDRIDGE made sure that everything was ago, and the bright, blazing emergency lights lit the way for everyone to move.

Once again, the central NAV voice calmly told each passenger where they could move to escape.

One by one, the escape ships began to fly away from the ELDRIDGE. Just as it looked like the first ship was about to escape the Philadelphia Class Cruiser's orbit, the ELDRIDGE's auto-defense turrets came online, firing shamelessly at the escape ships, tearing them to shreds and causing them to burst into space.

The outer hull of the ELDRIDGE began to burst like the broken, dead carapace of a spider as partly organic, partly mechanic tendrils shot out of the hull. They moved, snakelike and determined, tearing holes into the ELDRIDGE.

Captain Inoue watched the scene unfold, momentarily horrified and transfixed. He knew that there was something wrong with the mission, and yet something had caused him to say _yes_. He sat back in his pilot's chair, exhausted. He reached his hand into the inner folds of his jacket, producing a small golden pocket watch. Flipping it open with a _click_ he stared at the beautiful faces of the daughter and wife he would never see again.

He turned to the console at his right, pressing a single button that brought the functionality to life. A single, tall lit monitor produced itself from the console, initiating more button presses from the captain. For a moment, the gentle glow produced by the screens framed the picture of his family in a gentle glow.

The bridge exploded first, erupting in a violent and beautiful display of magnitude that began to erupt throughout the rest of the cruiser. All across the ELDRIDGE, the separate blocks tore themselves apart in similar holy fire. Unknown to the Captain, they were coming into the orbit of a small blue planet, which would become the backdrop for the falling pieces of the ELDRIDGE.

The wreckage consumed the beach in entirety, stretching for miles in every foreseeable direction. The hot metal smoldered indefinitely, turning the surrounding area black. Against the fading fire of a single pod, a form lay scrunched up on the shores of the beach.

A young woman with violet hair.

She stood, devoid of any clothing to cover her perfectly shaped body, and stared out at the scene before her. Falling stars, pieces of the destroyed ELDRIDGE, fell across the horizon. The sun began to rise before the young woman, signaling a brand new day.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

The continent of Ignas, in the northern hemisphere of our world. On this, the largest continent, a war has been raging between the two countries for hundreds of years. In the north of the continent lies the Kislev Empire, in the south lies the desert kingdom of Aveh. The war has gone on for so long that the people have forgotten the cause, knowing only the pointless circle of hostility and tragedy...

The chronic war obsession was soon to encounter a devastating change. This was due to the 'Ethos,' an institution that preserves our world's culture, repairing tools and weapons excavated from the ruins of an ancient civilization. At once both countries excavated these ruins, and had the 'Ethos' repair the discoveries, in order to increase their military power...

The various weapons excavated from the ruins greatly changed the form of warfare. The outcome of the battles between the two countries, Kislev and Aveh, was no longer determined by man-to-man combat, but by 'Gears' -giant humanoid fighting machines- that were obtained from deep within the ruins...

Eventually, after continuous swings in the state of the war, Kislev gained the upper hand. The major factor behind this lay in the enormous difference in the amount of resources buried within their ruins. But suddenly a mysterious military force appeared in the continent of Ignas. Called 'Gebler,' this force decided to make contact with Aveh...

With the assistance of this Gebler military force, Aveh was able to recover from being hopelessly outnumbered to being back on an even standing with Kislev. Then, taking further advantage of it's newly gained momentum, Aveh started to capture one territory after another from Kislev, showing no indication of slowing down in their invasion campaign...

_Lahan Village, near the outskirts of Aveh, near the border of Kislev_

A peaceful night has descended upon the small, dwindling village of Lahan. From the skies, it's easy to see the outlining trees and craggy rocks that frame the small village that has known nothing but peace for many years. The small stone and thatch huts form a circular-shaped design, signifying the unity and protection that the villagers have felt all their lives.

This night, however, would turn nightmarish and violent, stripping the villagers not only of the beauty of their village, but of their very lives. In essence, this is where it all begins.

Explosions rock the city streets as fire rages from house to house, singing the carefully laden stone and hand-carved wood that has been preserved her for centuries. The many villagers run for their lives, most of them not escaping the pain of the flames.

In the middle of it all, a tall and foreboding creature of metal stands in defense of Lahan, the fires licking it's immortal frame. The creature, a _Gear_, is colored in crimson and blue, etched with the dark stains of age and wear. Yet with all this strife, the Gear fights on, being guided by it's pilot who desperately wishes to save the village.

The pilot, a young tan-skinned man with attractive features, breathes heavily inside of the cockpit of the Gear. His hair is dark and pulled back into a sweaty ponytail, and he sits in rage at the controls.

His name is Fei Fong Wong, and Lahan is his home.

"Damn you!" cries Fei.

He moves his Gear into battle, his Weltall. Fei let's lose a voracious scream against the opponent Gears that have attacked his village. With a flurry of violent kicks and punches, Weltall brings the nameless Gear to the ground in an explosion.

Fei breathes through his nose, adrenaline pumping in his veins.

"That's one down!" He yells.

The fallen Gear stands up as if Fei's precise blows have not affected it in the slightest. Fei wonders how anything can withstand the force of his Gear, Weltall.

"What on earth are you? No matter how often I knock you down, you still get back up!"

At the foot of the battle, another figure makes himself known in the light of the flames. An older man, clad in a green kimono, his hair pulled back into a slight ponytail shorter than Fei's. Reading glasses are perched precariously at the bridge of his nose.

He is Fei's dear friend, Citan Uzuki.

"Fei! Stop! You must not fight here!" Citan cries out.

The enemy Gear fires off a number of shots from it's arm-mounted submachine gun, the bullets ricocheting off of Weltall's hide.

Fei curses. "Boy are you persistent!"

Weltall slams his fist into the Gear's chest, hearing the metal crush with a satisfying sound.

"Damn it! How come...? Why did it have to come to this?"

The fires burn on, and the battle rages as Lahan is razed around Fei's ears. The fire smolders and burns, as beautiful as it is deadly...

A picturesque scene of oranges and reds, a burning tribute to the purifying fire spread out among the canvas of a true artist.

Fei finds himself transfixed, not understanding where he is. Deja vu encumbers him slightly, and he lowers his brush.

"Whew! That about does it..." Fei mutters to himself, finishing his painting.

"Alright, now for a short break."

Fei moves away from his painting, leaving the bedroom that he has spent the last many years of his young life sleeping in. His room resides at the bottom of one of the village's stone houses, and it's spacious arrangement allows many other rooms besides just Fei's. He heads for the stairs, ready to leave his home and start the day anew.

The house Maid calls out to Fei as he is about to leave.

"Hello Fei! Why aren't you looking well today? My how time flies...has it really already been three years since you came to our village? When they first brought you in all bloody and soaked, to tell you the truth, none of us thought you would make it. That, and that strange masked man that carried you in that day...do you think...maybe he was your real father?"

Fei shrugged, staring at the large woman.

"Don't you remember anything? Why, they say you had nightmares and you constantly called out for your father."

Fei thinks of his nightmares, the recurring dreams he has of a dark, dreary day. Of being held by strong arms and carried through the biting cold and rain, of a house much like this one in a familiar village, of Lahan.

Of a masked figure, knocking steadily on a wooden door.

"Who is it?" calls a voice from inside.

The door opens easily and without warning, the kind of effect that years of living in a small village has on it's residents.

A weather-worn old man appears at the door, his eyes closed against the rain and wind. He announces himself to the masked traveler as the Chief of Lahan Village, Lee.

"Wh, who are you?...What? You want me to look after this boy?" Chief Lee says, staring down at the battered figure.

Fei shakes his head, the nightmares leaving him.

The maid continues talking, as if Fei's state of near-inebriation has no standing affect on her rambling.

"But now, you're so healthy and strong. It's all thanks to our village chief, Lee. My, should you be grateful!"

Fei nods, turns, and runs upstairs.

The upstairs is bustling with people, but Fei feels the need for fresh air and sunshine. He moves quickly to the front door, but before he can leave the house, the door opens for him. Standing in front of Fei is the small, ugly red-headed child, one of Fei's dear friends.

"So there you are! Fei, I have to talk to you about something!"

Fei nods. "Why, hello there Dan! You're lively today...as you are everyday!"

A well built young man turns toward the commotion, hearing Dan's lively voice springing forth.

"Dan!" Timothy says. "Don't be so rude. What's this barging in and all?"

Dan let's loose an exasperated sigh. "Timothy's here too? Butt out of this, Timothy! Until you marry my sister, you have nothing to do with me at all! I just have some business here with my friend Fei! So anyways, Fei, I, errh, I have something to talk to you about later..."

Fei shrugs. "What is it Dan? You make it sound serious!"

"Yeah, that's why I can't talk about it here...There's a certain person listening in who could cause us trouble! It's really important! We gotta talk, seriously, one-on-one, man-to-man! I'll be hanging around outside. So I'll see ya there later, okay?"

Dan turns to leave, but then addresses Timothy.

"Be seein' ya, Timothy! Take care of yourself until tomorrow..."

Dan makes a rude gesture to Timothy, then sprints out the open door.

"Huh? What's up with him?" Fei asked aloud.

Timothy smiled. "As of tomorrow, I'm going to be that kid's brother-in-law. That part isn't going to be no honeymoon, I'll tell you what."

Fei smiles inwardly, and goes outside, leaving Timothy and Chief Lee to discuss the wedding arrangements with the rest of the heads of household and village elders. The bright morning sun shines down brilliantly around Lahan, and Fei instantly hears the commotion of the days work, which is now peppered with wedding gossip. He makes his rounds through the village, checking on his neighbors and throwing out well meaning Hellos.

He pats one of the local bearcows, and exchanges pleasantries with one of the women. He then spies Dan lurking outside one of the homes that he is all to familiar with.

"Oh good, Fei! Ya ready to talk?" Dan clears his throat. "As you know, tomorrow's finally the day of my sister's wedding. So, what I want to talk to you about is exactly that...Alice's marriage! Fei, to be perfectly honest with you, I've always wished you could have been my brother. It's still not too late. You could go steal Alice and run off with her! If you need me to help, I'd be glad to!

"It may be odd for me to say this, but my sister's beautiful and a good cook...and this is just between you and me, but she's well endowed too! So c'mon, Go for it!"

Fei smiled hesitantly at Dan, wondering what to say to his young friend. He decided to let him down easy.

"What are you talking about, Dan? Timothy and Alice are both my best friends. You know I can't do that!"

"Yeah I know that. Well, if you're going to be like that...But if you change your mind, come and talk to me!" Dan laughed, and ran off to leave Fei with his thoughts.

Fei decided that visiting Alice may be a good idea, as he didn't know how busy she would be during and after the wedding. He walked down to her house, but was forcibly stopped by one of Alice's relatives.

"Fei, I really shouldn't let you in you know. No man is supposed to see her today, but I supposed I can make an exception for you," she said.

Fei smiled and muttered thanks, then pushed his way inside. Up the stairs he found Alice being fitted into her wedding dress by one of her handmaidens.

"Hello Alice. Is that your wedding dress?" Fei asked, feeling sheepish.

Alice stepped back slightly in shock, ruffling her dress which got her some scornful clicks of the tongue from her maid.

"Oh! Fei you startled me!"

Alice looked down at herself, and her face reddened. "Yes it is...I just finished it. It took more work than expected.

The maid left the two alone, and Alice turned back to the dress, continuing to sew.

"You did a great job there! It'll look wonderful on you Alice. Congratulations."

"Thank you."

They shared an uncomfortable silence that was broken by the two of them spilling out the same phrases, at the same time.

"So um, Fei..."

"Hey, um, Alice..."

"What is it?" Fei asked.

"Oh, nothing..." said Alice

"I see."

"Um...Oh yes. That's right. Fei, have you seen Dan?"

"Yeah, he's outside. Bragging as always."

"Ugh, that kid! I just told him that I had an errand for him to run!"

"Oh yeah? What errand?"

"It's for my wedding ceremony tomorrow...I was hoping he could go borrow a camera and some lights from Doctor Uzuki, up on the mountain peak."

"If that's all it is, I'll be glad to do it for you Alice."

"Could you? Oh, but I couldn't possibly..."

"Don't worry! It's no problem! Anyway, it doesn't exactly make me feel comfortable having Dan handle such delicate instruments. What's more, I might have a chance to eat some of Yui's cooking if I go to the Doc's place."

Alice giggled. "That's my Fei!"

"Well, I'll go up there now and get them for you!"

"Oh, Fei wait!"

"Huh? Is there something else you want me to get from Citan?"

Alice turned away, her face reddening. "No, it's not that..."

"Fei...have you ever thought about things this way? If...If, you had only been born in this village...and if we had only known each other earlier on..."

Fei sighed inwardly.

"Oh it's nothing, I'm sorry."

"Well, I think I had better get going now!" Fei announced.

"Oh, okay...be careful on that mountain path. And give my regards to Doctor Uzuki!"

Fei nodded, and made his way back down the stairs and outside.

"Is...is this fate?" Alice asked herself. "I feel so foolish. Who am I kidding?"

Fei left the village of Lahan, heading towards the mountain path and Doctor Citan Uzuki's home, determined to come back with Alice's requests, and maybe even a newfound understanding.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The cliff sides that bordered Lahan village were bright and easily visible in the noon sunlight. The clay-colored rocks were flecked gold and crimson veins, providing a delightful accent for the sparse bits of shrubbery that littered the paths. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and the high sunlight didn't leave room for nary a shadow.

This was the perfect time of day to encounter beasts, and Fei knew this. However, he had a goal set for himself and did not intend to break it.

Fei encountered a few wolves and hobs on his way through the path, but easily dispatched them with his unsurpassed skill in martial arts. He felt reluctant in taking the life of any living creature, and so he moved with care to avoid most of the creatures as they staked out their midday meal. The hobs, black and orange flecked balls of organic matter, were particularly difficult to avoid.

Soon he made it to a branch in the path, staring up towards the western edge of the cliffs.

"Doc Uzuki's house is over the bridge and up to the north," Fei said aloud to himself, nodding and heading off in the right direction.

Fei passed by a few withering evergreens and towards the familiar, but very worn, wooden bridge that connected to the hills where Dr. Uzuki kept his residence. Fei placed one foot warily in front of the other, hoping that the wind and rain worn planks would hold his prim weight. He made it easily to the other side however, displacing his weight expertly.

A rickety old sign sat precariously near the large boulders that separated Fei from the doc's place. He knew he was close.

Just over the ridge, the orange-flecked rocky cliffs seemed to disappear under a pad of well manicured and maintained lawn and gardens. A low stone fence surrounded the green property, giving it sort of a quaint look without being too repulsive. In the middle of the property sat a brick and steel house that was built into a seashell-like spiraling shape. From the passerby's eye it could be scoffed at for appearing to be hastily and lazily put together, but any true craftsmen would notice that the home had been specifically built for a life high among the cliffs.

The top of the towering stone house petered off into two distinct metal-plated towers. One was equipped with an enormous broadcasting dish, and the other topped with two different kinds of steam chimneys.

Fei didn't even bother knocking as he entered the home's small front door, he was such a familiar guest to the Uzuki's.

"Oh Fei, welcome," said Yui, Citan's wife. She stood in front of their warm fireplace with their younger daughter.

"Hello Yui," replied Fei politely. "Where's doc?"

"My husband is tinkering with his junk out in the backyard."

"I should have guessed! Doesn't he ever get sick of playing with that stuff?"

Yui gave him a pained look, but smiled to mask it.

"Well, okay then, I'll go out into the backyard and see if I can find him."

Fei marched through the back door and into the backyard. A dozen or so blue-feathered chickens separated him from the doc's back shop. Fei thought he had even seen one of the smelly birds in the house.

"Where are you, doc?" Fei called out.

Just as the words escaped his lips, an enormous and frightening explosion rocked the doc's shop.

"W-what's going on?"

"Oh! Oh oh! This is no good! Why do they use such inferior parts? This is why their intervention is strat..."

"Doc! So that's where you were!" Fei yelled.

Citan yelled back. Neither of them considered meeting the other one, either inside or out.

"Oh Fei! Good to see you."

"Are you alright, doc? What are you doing all the way up there?"

"I thought I would try to restore this Land Crab. Oh, and that explosion was nothing to worry about. It happens all the time," Citan said, laughing nervously.

"Could you wait a while? I am just about ready to call it a day. Oh, yes. There is something interesting in the storeroom...Why not take a look?"

"Okay, doc, I will. But please hurry up. It will get dark before you know it," Fei replied.

Fei entered the storeroom. It was a cluttered, musty place that smelled of oil and burned metal. In the middle of the mess was an ornate gold statue, perfectly shaped like a rectangle with an enlarged base. There were ornate designs etched into it, little patterns.

"Oh so this is what the doc was talking about...Let me see what's so interesting about it," Fei said, touching the statue.

It began to open up, and Fei jumped back in surprise. A bright, bone-white angel emerged from the golden box, and the sides folded down, their insides displayed pictures of a heavenly design. A bright sun back-lit the angel's head.

"What is this?" Fei wondered aloud.

The angel began to spin, and a hauntingly beautiful tune slowly began to play. A music box, it's metal tines pinging over a rolling pin that lay somewhere beneath the angel as it spun, brought forth the gorgeous melody. Small pink and white lights gently popped around the angel.

"This music...I've heard it somewhere before," Fei said. He became enraptured by the beauty of the spinning angel. The slow and delightfully sad melody pulled at something deep inside him.

"What do you think? Not bad huh?"

"Doc.."

"Hello again Fei. Sorry to have kept you waiting," said Citan. He walked inside, right up to the statue, the spinning angel.

"Music is a mysterious thing. Sometimes, it makes people remember things they did not expect. Many thoughts, feelings, memories, things almost forgotten. Regardless of whether the listener desires to remember them or not."

"Doc, what is this...?"

"It was excavated from some old ruins, and is still under repair. Obviously it is an audio device of some type. Long ago people would listen to this melody, just as we are doing now. At times they would have been cheered up, while at times the melody would have made them cry."

Fei was silent among the melody.

"By the way, what brings you here today?"

"Oh yeah, that's right! Alice asked me to borrow some camera equipment from you," Fei replied.

"Oh yes. Her wedding is tomorrow. Understood. Well, we had better get that stuff for you then. Oh, and dinner should be ready soon. Would you like to join us?"

"Would I ever! I was hoping you would ask!" Fei exclaimed.

"I still have some cleaning up to do out here. Would you mind giving Midori some company back in the house?"

"Okay. Take your time, doc. I'll go ahead and eat when dinner is ready!"

"Go right ahead," Citan chuckled. "But I will not be held responsible if you get a stomach ache from eating Yui's cooking."

"Doc...I feel so strange when I listen to this music. I feel something warm inside."

"That just may be because you have someone living inside of you...and maybe he too must have liked this music a long time ago before he became a part of you."

Fei mulled over Citan's strange words and began to leave the shop.

"Is Timothy and Alice's wedding really tomorrow?" Citan asked aloud. "It might actually be better to live an ordinary life, in this condition...as a son of man. Well, anyway. I suppose I had better adjust the gyro, at least."

The song began to wind down.

"Huh?"

The angel shook violently, then burst into a thousand shards of white fragment.

"This cannot be. Is this...Is this an omen? Now, what is going to happen?"

"That was good!" Fei said happily, clutching his belly. "Your cooking never fails to impress me, Yui! Thank you for such a delicious meal!"

Fei made his way towards the door, the family following him in step. The warmly decorated but humble home was easy to get used to, and Fei found himself just a tad envious of Citan's wife and her ability to really turn a house into a home.

"You're welcome," said Yui. "If you like my cooking that much, then I'd be happy to cook for you anytime, Fei!"

"I will bring the equipment you need to the village tomorrow morning, myself. It does not exactly make me feel comfortable to have you handle such delicate instruments, I am afraid!" Chuckled Citan.

"Where have I heard that line before?" Fei said, scratching his chin. "That's alright by me...Well, see you tomorrow, doc! Good night Yui and Midori!"

"Good night," said Yui. "We're looking forward to tomorrow's wedding."

Midori remained silent, clutching at her mother's skirts.

Fei left, a smile on his face and warmth in his belly.

"Well, good night doc."

"Yes, good night," said Citan.

"Oh, Fei! Please be careful. I mean...the path is dangerous when it's so dark."

"What's wrong doc? There is nothing to worry about! Well, anyway, I'll see you tomorrow," Fei said, at set off back down the path, this time in darkness.

Fei made his way down. As soon as his feet touched the bridge, a violent shaking erupted throughout the cliffs. Fei looked on in alarm as menacing mechanical beasts roared overhead, heading towards Lahan.

"Giants...?"

"Fei!" Citan called.

"Doc! Some flying objects went toward Lahan!"

"So you saw them too! Judging by their shadows, they appear to be a group of Gears from our neighbor country, Kislev."

"Those were Gears?"

An explosion rocked the cliffs, and the sky momentarily turned orange and red.

"Oh no! They are heading directly for Lahan!"

"The ones I just saw?"

"Let us make haste!"

"Right!"

Citan took off toward Lahan with Fei trailing close behind.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The village was engorged in flame. Every small hut, every stone home, all the cattle-stables and even the town meeting area, all engulfed in the fire of an attack that Fei did not yet understand.

"No, Lahans...?" Fei cried.

One by one, gargantuan forms of metal crashed through the town, spreading the fire and destruction.

"Alice? Timothy!" Citan called out against the smoke and flame. He coughed, the soiled air getting into his lungs.

A pretty, familiar girl ran up to Citan and Fei.

"Doctor Uzuki? Fei!" cried Alice.

"Doctor!" Timothy huffed, his muscles bulging. "They just came outta nowhere and landed right in the village!"

"I know. What on earth are they doing starting a battle here?" Citan mused in reply. "Are you all okay?"

Alice nodded, her dark hair streaked with soot and sweat, sticking to her forehead. "Yes! But it's Dan, we can't find him!"

"I'll go look one more time! Alice, go ahead and get out of the village!" Timothy commanded his fiancee.

"No, Timothy, wait!" yelled Citan. "You, Alice, and the rest of the villagers should evacuate to a safer location!"

Timothy shook his head. "Doc, you know I can't just leave Dan behind!"

Alice sighed. "Timothy..."

Citan shook his head and readjusted his glasses to his face, smearing his dark hair across his forehead. "I understand how you feel, but leave the rest up to Fei and me! The primary thing you should be concerned with is your own safety!" He said, looking from Timothy to Alice. "Timothy, your responsibility is to protect Alice!"

Timothy looked beaten. "But..."

Fei finally spoke up, the fire not bothering him as he found his voice. "It's just as doc says. The two of you should get out of the village. Now! Don't worry about Dan. Knowing him, he has already evacuated and is waiting for you!"

Timothy nodded, Fei's resolve steeling his own. "I guess you're right. Okay! Alice, let's let Doctor Uzuki and Fei handle it from here!"

Alice tried to smile at the men. "Yes, okay, thank you Doctor!" she said. "But, Fei...Please look out for Dan!"

Fei nodded. "Yeah, don't worry. If he still happens to be in the village, I'll be sure to save him!"

Citan clapped each of his hands onto Timothy and Alice's shoulders. "Now, both of you, hurry!"

Alice and Timothy began to run in the opposite direction, seeking the escape that so many other of the Lahan natives had done earlier. Citan looked back to Fei, now that their distractions were gone.

"I will go check inside the houses to see if there is anything left behind," said the doc. "Fei, please go around the village and guide the stragglers to safety!"

Fei nodded in agreement. "Alright! But doc...You be careful, okay?"

"You too, Fei!"

The Gears continued to fire volleys of automatic gunfire into the village. Fei looked on in rage as the bullets streamed towards him, and he leapt away just as the gunfire threatened to strike the head from his shoulders. As he fell to the ground, a strange gear made it's way toward him. It was thinner than the others, with a unique design. It had the colors of water and fire painted onto it.

Fei saw a small child piloting the Gear, a small boy with dark hair. A memory of a cross shaped medallion shone through his mind, and he gasped as the unfamiliar nostalgia pulled at him. The boy laughed, his grin unfriendly and cold. The cross-shaped medallion continued to shine.

Without thinking, Fei leapt into the pilot's seat of the strange new Gear, the seat now empty for him.

"Fei?" Citan called as he watched his young friend blindly enter the metal monstrosity. "Wait, Fei!"

A singular beat penetrated the noise and the night air. A heartbeat moved itself silently as Fei began to take control of the Gear.

"Don't do this Fei! You must not fight here!" Citan yelled.

The Gear began to move beyond the range of Citan's voice, and Fei initiated his war against the Gears that were ravaging Lahan. The Linguistic Modifier inside of the Gear enabled itself, and Fei began to pilot the Gear.

_Identified: _

_ Lamb, Ignas dialect_

_ No piloting experience._

_ Easy Mode Set._

_ Synchronizing..._

_ input interface with pilot's normal reflex time_

_ Warning to Pilot: COMBAT MODE_

_ About to enter combat!_

_ Fuel is: 1200 units remain._

_ Utilize Command Ring, utilizing auto-attack_

_ Fuel Usage set to general Attack, Charge_

_ Warning! Warning!_

_ Enemy Gears are now Preparing to Attack! Terminating Gear Help Mode._

Although the strange Gear warned Fei that he had never used a Gear before, Fei's natural movements, martial arts instinct, and fury took over. He flew at the enemy Gears, ripping them to shreds with well placed kicks, and parrying all their attacks. The Gear felt like an extension of himself, just another arm or leg, and Fei's righteous anger burned through him as he tore the destructive Gears apart.

The name of the Gear that he piloted with such ease flashed against the dull HUD of the monitors:

WELTALL.

Tall winged Gears burst down from the sky, shredding the ground in fire and wielding huge arm-mounted cannons.

"Reinforcements, huh?" Fei laughed maniacally.

"Oh my right too? Damn it, how many of them are there?"

Just as the thoughts escaped Fei's head, another Gear flew down from the sky, launching a volley of ammunition into the other Gears. It carried itself with a fearsome grace.

"I guess there's no choice but to fight..." Fei sighed, running towards the mystery Gear.

His consciousness went dark, and the sky went white, and the battle commenced.

"Fei! The way you are fighting," Citan sighed. "No, this is not good! If _he_ awakens here..."

"Doc!" yelled a voice.

"Dan?" called Citan. He rushed over to meet the pint-sized squirt. "Are you alright? What on earth are you doing here? Do you not know how worried Alice and Timothy are?"

Dan hung his head. "I'm sorry, Doctor Uzuki! I got out of the village earlier, but I came back...I just couldn't bear to think of leaving my sister's wedding dress behind here."

"You returned to save your sister's wedding dress? You are such a sentimental little boy! Let's evacuate to a safer spot while Fei has their attention!" Citan said. "It appears that they are after that Gear that Fei is in..."

"Fei's inside that monster?" Dan cried.

The two of them looked on as Weltall fought against the opposing gears, it's dark mask of a face rigid and cold against the burning flames of the fight.

"Fei is bound by the dark, cruel destiny of god..." Citan mused.

"Fei?" Dan said weakly.

"Come on now, Dan! We had better get away form here."

"Dan!" yelled Timothy. "I knew you were still in the village! Boy, I'm glad you're okay!"

Another Gear moved towards the village, setting it's sights on the remaining villagers of Lahan.

"Oh no!" Citan screamed. "Timothy!"

"Wait!" Fei yelled from his place inside Weltall. "Don't shoot! Stop it! These people have nothing to do with you!"

Weltall moved quickly to intercept the Gears, screaming Timothy's name like a man possessed. The Gears surrounded him, trying to block Weltall's movements.

"Out of my way you bastards!" Fei yelled through the intercom.

The mysterious Gear made a motion to the Gear infantry, and they let lose another volley of automatic weapon fire.

"Stop it!" Fei screamed, his throat hoarse. "I said _stop it_!"

Bullets riddles Timothy's body. The cross began to flash. The small, long hair boy laughed as blood covered his body.

Lights of god erupted from Weltall, bursting through the village and absorbing everything in a blazing fire. An explosion rocked what remained of Lahan as was removed from the face of the planet. Weltall sat in the middle of the fire as everything was destroyed.

"Huh?" Fei stood up, his back to one of the local and familiar trees. "Where am I?"

There was a gathering of people among the red-clay rocks, the cliffs giving them little solace from the recent horrors.

"Doc!" Fei yelled.

"Oh, you've finally gained consciousness, Fei..." Citan said sadly.

"Doc," Fei asked meekly. "What happened? Where's Chief Lee. Timothy, Alice...What did I..."

"Yes, well, that is..."

"You murderer!" Dan screamed.

"Dan!" said Citan.

"Dan, what do you mean?" asked Fei.

Dan walked towards Fei, his entire small body shaking in rage. "It was because you had to get in that _monster_. Alice and Timothy...they people of the village are all...! You killed everyone use that monster!"

Fei turned around to find Weltall calmly facing the villagers.

"Why did you have to fight in the middle of the village?"

"How do you even know how to operate such a monster?"

"Mother...where's mother?"

"See, I told you so, I said allowing someone we knew nothing about into our village would spell disaster!"

"It hurts...oh god it hurts."

The voices of the remaining villagers were painful to Fei's ears. As he tried to approach them in apprehensive apology, they recoiled from him as if he was a snake. Dan shook his head at his old friend.

"Murderer! My sister...give me back my sister!" Dan yelled.

"Dan..." Citan said sadly. "There is nothing to be gained from putting the blame all on Fei alone. What is more, you know Fei had no control over the malfunction of that Gear."

"I know that! But, but...I HATE YOU," Dan screamed, running off.

"It might be better if we left him by himself for a little while," said Citan. "He does not know what to do with his grief, or anger."

"And Fei...It may be a good idea for you to leave this place. There is no guarantee that reinforcements from yesterday's unit are not going to come. They will probably want to know what happened to their comrades. Also, if you stay here, I do not think the atmosphere is going to be very joyful, if you know what I mean. It is probably best for both you and all the other villagers here."

"I guess you're right...This disaster happened because I was here...but what am I supposed to do now?"

"Yes, well, why not go through the Blackmoon Forest and head for Aveh? I am sure those soldiers from yesterday were not from Aveh," Citan said. "If you can manage to get to the Aveh side, they will not be able to track you down very easily."

"Okay," Fei nodded. "I understand, doc. Well anyway, please take care of the rest of things here, doc."

"Of course. Well, do take care now," said Citan.

Fei took one last, lingering look at the villagers of Lahan. He would never see them again. Weltall loomed overhead, and the voices of the villagers inhabited the shadow of the 'monster.'

_Murderer! _

_ My sister, give me back my sister!_

_ You killed everyone with that monster!_

Fei fought back his burgeoning emotion, and began a quick jog away from Lahan and towards Blackmoon Forest.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Fei approached the border of the forest timidly as colorful birds squawked about the canopy and flew up into the sky. Besides the small ambient noise of the various fauna, as soon as Fei entered the confines of the thick bush he felt completely alone. He jogged at a quick, if apprehensive, pace.

Fei made his way through the Blackmoon Forest with some difficulty. The native hobs and other monstrosities of the untamed region blocked his way, and if it wasn't for his well-trained martial arts and Chi spirits he wouldn't have made it through. He could feel the spirit energy welling up inside him, pouring through his fingertips as he used the strange forces inside him to destroy the snapping teeth and cutting jaws of the creatures.

Eventually Fei found himself on what appeared to be a path out of the forest. He struggled to tear aside vast boulders, moss, and rocks to bring forward a exit. Eventually a sharp noise began to fill the air, and Fei deftly jumped aside, just barely avoided a painful death as an enormous rock sped down the hills, slick with moss, and smashed into a rotten stump just left of Fei's head. The dirt and splinters went everywhere, and Fei dusted himself off just as he heard the soft padding of footsteps behind him.

A strange noise filled the air, something extremely foreign, and Fei soon realized that someone was speaking to him. He slowly turned around to see a striking woman pointing a gun at his chest. She had long, shining red hair and deep azure eyes. Her complexion was pale and perfect, accenting the beautiful features of her face. She seemed to be wearing a sort of military uniform. The outfit was colored cream and dark blue, and she wore tight-fitting dark crimson leggings that disappeared into boots that matched the color of her uniform. Her gloved hands gripped the pistol tightly, which hadn't moved from it's position pointing at Fei's chest.

The woman glared at Fei, and he quickly realized the foreign noise was actually her language, one that he had never heard before.

"Throw down your weapon. Make one more move and I'll shoot!"

"Errh, Turn around!" commanded the woman.

Fei was silent.

"I said, I said turn around!"

Fei obeyed, quickly turning and averting his gaze toward where he had just come from, but not taking his energy away from feeling out the strange woman.

"Are you shaking?" asked Fei, sensing her fear.

"Be quiet!" She yelled. "You don't seem to be one of the Kislev soldiers who are after me..."

Fei turned around quickly, startling the woman, but she didn't pull the trigger.

"Don't move!" she said. "I have order to kill all surface dwellers, _Lambs_, I come into contact with. It's part of my mission. It's nothing personal."

She shrugged, sighing.

"I have a question for you, How do I get out of this forest?"

"Are you...lost?" Fei asked, his curiosity peaking every minute in the face of the woman.

"Just answer my question! How do I get out of here?"

"Sorry, but I'm looking for a way out too," said Fei.

"Oh," the woman hung her head dejectedly.

"How long are you going to stand there like that?" asked Fei. He didn't think she realized that she had dropped her posture and the handgun with it.

"If you're going to shoot me, then hurry up and do it."

"What an odd thing to say! Don't you understand the situation you are in?"

"I don't care about my situation," Fei muttered, his brow creasing as memory began to flood his mind once again. Painful voices shouted into his ears, screamed into his consciousness. "I'm just a guy whose life is worthless, there's no point to me living anyway!"

Fei took a few steps toward her, and she shouted a warning. The gun fired off a shot, bucking in the girl's hands, and kicked up dirt and rot at Fei's feet.

"What are you aiming at? Here! Shoot me! I'm here! C'mon!" Fei screamed.

"Are you mocking me? You're weird! Something's wrong with you! You should at least resist a little bit!"

The woman was taken aback as a a noise interrupted them from behind. A dark, gangly creature leapt down on her, knocking her down into the dirt and leaves.

"What, who are you?" she gasped.

The lanky creature brushed her aside, and made straight away for Fei.

"Stop, leave _Elly_ alone!" Fei roared, jumping into the creatures. He executed a quick palm blow that crushed the jaw of the first creature, spinning it into the dirt. Then he raised his arms to parry a blow being thrown wildly by the second monster. Fei raised his leg in a reverse kick, crushing the sternum of the second monster. The forest elves lay dead at Fei's feet.

Fei turned back to Elly, the mysterious red-haired woman, without even acknowledging the fight that he was panting from.

"Are you alright? Hang in there!" he shouted.

A fire crackled noisily into the night, it's echoes being chimed lazily by the sawing legs of crickets. The forest was once again a black hole of nothingness, just a dark reflection of the scene that was illuminated by a small fire, and shared by two strangers.

"Good, you finally woke up! You didn't move for so long that I started to worry..."

The woman, Elly, said nothing.

"How are you feeling?" Fei persisted.

"Do you still intend to kill me? Then go right ahead and shoot me! But you'd better not do it while we're in this forest. Forest monsters hate loud noises, you know?"

Fei tapped the long absent-mindedly, staring at Elly through the flames. Her hair seemed alive with the same fire, and her eyes were as deep and mysterious as an ocean. She seemed to be in deep contemplation.

"Fine. Don't talk to me if you don't want to. But it wouldn't kill you to thank me for tending to your wounds. "

"Th-thanks...but you shouldn't have helped me. Don't think it will save your life though. It really doesn't change a thing," said Elly softly.

"What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid, I'm just being cautious. It's natural for me to be this cautious considering I've met such a suspicious surface dwelling _Lamb_."

"Hm, don't you worry, I'm not gonna do anything. Besides, you're much more suspicious than I am."

"Huh?" Elly was confused.

"So, what's your name?" Fei asked. He seemed to be unaware that her name had already bubbled forth from his subconscious, that in her time of need he had shouted it out as if he had known it intimately for years.

"I won't give my name to a surface dweller _Lamb_."

"What's with you and this 'Lamb' thing? We're both lost in this forest, surrounded by dangerous monsters. Shouldn't we at least be cooperating with each other until we get out of here?"

Elly remained silent, but didn't disagree.

"Good, it will be much easier for us if we can use names. Anyway, my name is Fei Fong Wong. You can call me Fei."

"I'm Elhaym, but my parents call me Elly."

"Elly huh? Somehow I already knew that. Anyway, it's too dangerous with these monsters at night. Let's wait until daybreak before we continue looking for a way out of here."

Elly regarded Fei suspiciously, feeling something strange as she glanced at him through the fire. Her mind began to play tricks on her as the flames licked the wood.

"Okay," she nodded. "I guess we have no choice then."

"Okay then Elly, how about having something to eat?"

The darkness blanketed them, and soon they were lost.

Sand dunes stretched for eternity into the dusty horizon. The silhouetted bodies of lost men marched slowly past a small, ponytailed child that sobbed quietly among the sand. He chased after the bodies, begging the shadow figures to wait, before finally falling into the sand in despair.

A shadow drew herself across him, the image of a fiery-haired woman that whispered words of encouragement to him. A cross-charm was worn at her neck.

"Fei."

"Fei?"

"Fei!"

"Are you awake?" asked Elly.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The morning fared much better for the pair, as the sun made itself known through the treebranches. Splinters of light caught Elly's hair as Fei struggled to stay awake in the muggy weather. He had the most curious idea of familiarity with her, as if maybe he had known her in another life. Elly kept quiet, staring at the path ahead as they tramped through the underbrush. The forest was dangerous, and they were easily ambushed more than once by particularly destructive monsters. The creatures around the world seemed to become more and more aggressive each year.

Elly found herself falling behind Fei, and after quickly dispatching a pair of dark elves, she stopped and posed him a question.

"Fei," she said. Elly walked quietly towards him. "Yesterday you said your life was worthless. What did you mean by that?"

Fei scratched his chin and tried to look confused. "What are you asking?"

"Why? Yesterday you looked like you had a death wish. You think it wouldn't make me wonder?" Elly sighed inwardly, fixing some imaginary place on her soldier's garb. "Say, how did you get stranded in this forest in the first place?"

"I should ask you the same question," Fei huffed.

"Huh, well...I..." Elly stretched for a reason, quite unconvincingly.

Fei walked a little distance a way from her, into the trees. Elly didn't follow, just watched his lean body move softly among the leaves. Elly couldn't quite understand how someone so muscular, someone who looked so _powerful_, could carry themselves with such a grace.

"I...ran away," Fei admitted. He tugged at his ponytail then crossed his arms. "I ran away from my village, or what's left of it."

"Village...you don't mean!"

"Lahan. It was a small village that existed between this forest and the mountain range. I ran away from there."

"That village..."

"It was a nice, peaceful village," Fei said. "Everyone there treated me like family. Then, last night, a group of Gears suddenly appeared and started fighting right in the middle of the place. The village was engulfed in flames. I couldn't just stand there and watch Lahan be destroyed. So to try and save the villagers, I got in an empty Gear...without even knowing how to operate it. I just thought maybe I could do it, no, it was more like someone whispering to me.

"Someone whispering to me...telling me to do it...But it was a disaster! The village...!"

"Was it destroyed by the Kislev army?" Elly asked tentatively. Her curiosity was building.

"Fei?"

"No," he sighed. Fei tried to find a way to say it, but the pain was still so real that it burned him. He scrunched his face up tightly, his hands steel fists. "No. The village was destroyed by me. It was me who destroyed Lahan!"

"What do you mean you destroyed it?" Elly tried to understand. "I thought you were trying to help save the villagers?"

"I did try to help. I actually took out a few Gears," Fei tried to explain. "But then I came under heavy fire from a new group of Gears. Then my friend Timothy, he was hit by a hail of bullets...Then I lost it. Everything just went dark. I don't remember anything after that. The Gear I was in went out of control...at least that's what Doc said.

"When I came to...the village and everyone in it was..."

Fei stopped for a moment, taking a deep breath. He tried to stay meditative but felt nothing but pain. Everything was being swallowed in a cold darkness, and the memories of it were just too recent. The hatred of the village was still fresh on his mind.

"Alice. She was such a...Alice and Timothy...Oh god!" Fei cried out. "Everybody! All such good people..."

"Went out of control? The Gear?" Elly was confused. She knew the power of Gears all to well, but she had never heard of a single pilot taking out an entire troup of militant Gears AND destroying an entire village by itself. "What about the village?"

"Fei?" she asked.

"Yes! The Gear!" Fei shouted excitedly. Elly took a step back. Suddenly her own painful memories were coming back.

"_Damn them...they're still giving chase!_

_ "We've entered Aveh territory. _

_ "I'm not giving up now. _

_ "This Gear's too important!"_

_ The night sky lit up as Elly piloted her gear through Aveh's militant territories. Her wingmen flew with her, the pale orange sky of dusk setting the scene. She surveyed the surroundings, trying to find the best way through the airspace. Before her sensors could pick up the danger, however, it was upon them. The Gear to her immediate left burst into a cloud of black smoke and billowing flame, falling to the ground below. _

_ "That's done it!_

_ "I'm at a disadvantage now!_

_ "Van Houten! What's wrong? Respond!"_

_ Elly cursed under her breath as a white-hot pain erupted throughout her body._

_ "Shrapnel!" she cried out, barely keeping at the controls. "In my back! My thruster output is dropping, I can't maintain altitude!"_

_ "Dammit, Everyone land now!_

_ "Regroup on the ground! We'll have to engage them!"_

_ Elly's Gear landed violently in an expanse of farmland just outside of a small village. Wounded and bleeding, she immediately evacuted her Gear just as her pursuers hit the earth behind her. Without hesitation, the enemy Gears opened fire, tearing Elly's Gear into shreds. She ran for cover, the shrapnel in her side rubbing against her muscles. She stifled a scream as she moved as far away from the Gear as she could, the pain almost blinding her._

Fei rubbed the back of his head, seeing that Elly was lost in thought.

"If they had never come to the village, never started fighting there, then I wouldn't have tired to pilot that Gear. It's their fault...not mine! They're the ones to blame. If they'd never come, none of this would have...if not for them!"

Fei began punching one of the gnarled trees near him, his fist quickly becoming bloody from hitting the rough bark. He just shouted over and over, trying to drown out the scenes that played endlessly in his mind.

"Them!" Fei screamed. "Them! Them!"

"Enough of that!" Elly shouted. Fei quickly turned to look at her.

"You're a coward!"

"A coward?" Fei was taken aback. "Me?"

Could it be possible that this crimson-haired soldier was on to something? Fei shook his head.

"Yes, you're a coward. All you're saying is 'them, them, them,'" Elly said. "Don't talk as if you had no part of the blame, as well!"

Fei peered at the nothingness of space in front of him. He tried to see past his own angst, and let Elly's words pierce his heart. For some reason, it was difficult. Her voice was very soothing to him.

"I'm to blame?"

"Yes, that's right! Of course the direct cause of the battle was that a Gear made and emergency landing in your village. But all Kislev wanted was the Gear, right? They weren't invading or out to destroy Lahan. The real damage occurred because you climbed in a Gear and tried to fight back!

"Whatever made you get into that Gear? Not just anyone can pilot them! It takes training! There is no way a civilian could hope to pilot one! Besides...you should have been helping the villagers flee to safety instead! How can you blame the damage on a Gear when it was your decision to fight in it in the first place?

"Why don't you take some of the responsibility yourself? Why are you putting all the blame on others? That's just running away! That's what makes you a coward!" Elly shouted, quickly running out of breath. Somehow, yelling at Fei was making her feel better for her own indiscretion. Her own part of the blame was crumbling under her selfish redirection.

"Well, if you put it that way. Yes...that's right, I'm a coward! I didn't realize my own strength and have been blaming what happened as a result of my foolishness on everyone else. I'm a pitiful excuse for a man. But...

"I just felt this rush of blood in me and I couldn't help myself! Couldn't help myself, or help others..."

Fei collapsed, grasping his hair and pulling his face tightly into his chest. He shook quietly against the trees, wanting nothing more to do with the world as it was.

"Fei, I-I'm..." Elly was at a loss for words. She didn't dare move, didn't go to Fei in that moment. She just stared dumbly at him, her arms at her sides.

"Shut up!" Fei screamed at her. "What do you know? When I cam to I was surrounded by piles of rubble...I didn't know what had happened or what I had done. I remembered absolutely nothing. All I knew was that my hands could still feel what they had done. The only things that penetrated the Gear's barrier were screams. Screams accompanied by the stench of blood, the sound of crushing bones, and my own curses.

"Look! Look at my hands! Can you hear their voices? Can you understand this feeling? The feeling of having destroyed your own village, with your own hands? Of not being able to do anything for the children left behind? Now they have nothing. I have nothing. I have nowhere. No _one. _

"I didn't want to get in it...I had no choice. There was no other way."

Elly moved away from Fei, not knowing what else to say to him. He was just a crumpled form now, a defeated and broken man that couldn't come to terms with being a murderer. Fei didn't move, didn't breathe, just sat against the rough bark of a tree that was bloodied with his own fists. Elly started at him, wide eyed, then slowly walked further into the deep woods.

"Why did I go and say that to him?"

"_You talk as if it's not your responsibility!"_

_ "No...I didn't do anything.."_

_ Walls of pure white plunged into depths of crimson as the blood of innocents flows towards __murderous hands..._

_ "They died because you had to pilot the gear and start fighting!"_

_ "It wasn't me! Can't you understand?"_

_ The bodies lay around her still form, their blood pooling infinately against gloved hands._

_ "Not anyone can pilot those machines you know! Why won't you take responsibility?_

_ Why are you trying to put the blame on others?"_

_ A still light focuses on Elly's unsure frame. She stares listlessly into the heavens..._

_ "You're a coward!"_

_ "That's right! I'm a coward!"_

"Yes...that's right. I'm a coward," Elly sighed. She walked through the grasses slowly, unsure of herself.

A frightening noise split the air, and the very trees around her seemed to shake. Just as she moved deeper into the browning woods, an enormous beast burst towards her, mouth agape. It's rows of razor-sharp teeth threated to slice her to ribbons, and it leapt forward. Elly screamed.

"Oh no!" Fei shouted, hearing Elly's voice. For some reason, her being in danger triggered something deep within him and he was momentarily shaken out of his stupor.

"Elly!" Fei yelled. A gargantuan scaled beast was towering over her, some kind of primevil monstrosity. It's poison saliva slipped easily from between it's fangs, and upon seeing Fei, it garnished all attention on him.

"Elly, are you alright?" Fei cried. "Darn, she's unconcsious!"

Fei backed up slowly, readying his body for combat. There was only one thing he could do, and even if he died trying, he was not going to stand idly by while even one more person was hurt. He steeled his resolve and pulled his figure quickly into a fighting stance, his fists transforming into deadly weapons. He hopped foot to foot, waiting for the beast to strike him.

The Rankar Dragon simply ignored Fei's pathetic boasting, and made a quick strike for him. It slapped Fei hard with the end of it's tail, sending him into a state of near-unconsciousness. Fei felt crippled and defeated, and lay low to the ground.

It was just then that a sound pierced through the trees. A mechanical noise, something that made Fei think of doc and his machintions, the sound reverberated between the edges of the forest.

"Fei!" A voice cried out.

An unwieldly machine hung suspended in the sky above both Fei and the dragon. Citan waved at Fei earnestly from where he stood perched on the machination. It had two rotor-blades that spun incessently, keeping it hovering in the air. Most importantly, the machine was carrying a large and looming object: the Gear that Fei had earlier piloted.

"Fei! I have been searching for you! Here, you can use this!" Citan shouted over the noise of the spinning blades. He pressed a few buttons at his control, and the dark Gear dropped to the forest floor.

"Hey! Hold on a second! To tell me I can use it is one thing..." Fei protested.

The dragon quickly made a turn for Elly, seeing the disruption come between it and Fei.

"Elly! Damn it!" Fei cursed. "Doc, I have a favor to ask! I will defeat this monster! But, if it looks like I'll go out of control like last time, then shoot me!"

"Fei...Let us pray that that won't happen!" Citan morbidly agreed, flying off in his heli-porter.

Fei jumped into the Gear, immediately becoming one with the controls. The fact that the death-machine felt so _familiar_ to him was unsettling, but he pushed back all thought and concentrated on killed the Rankar Dragon and saving Elly.

Inside the Gear, Fei made quick work of the monster. He pressed hard at the controls, aiming for speed over power. He opened all the fuel ports, greatly increasing the hast of Weltall at the expense of a dangerous fuel leak. It was enough: Fei's well placed kicks inside of Weltall caused the dragon to fall within a matter of seconds, falling to it's side in death and defeat.

"Fei! Are you alright?" called Citan.

"Yeah, I guess so," ansered Fei.

"That fight with the Rankar was remarkable. An ordinary Gear could not defeat that onster. And you certainly keep yourself in good shape."

"Why did you bring this here, Doc?" Fei asked, turning towards Weltall.

"This...you mean Weltall?" asked Citan.

"Weltall? This is the Gear that destroyed our village. Why dd you bother bringing it here? I never want to see another Gear again..."

"I understand how you must feel, but in order to protect yourself you need a certain degree of strength. Even more since we are being pursued."

"I agree that a certain degree of strength is needed for self-defense," conceded Fei. "And if it weren't for this Gear here, Elly and I'd be in that Rankar's stomach right now. But its power goes beyond what is necessary. Does one really need the power to destroy everything?"

"I don't need that kind of power. I just hate Gears."

"Fei, using power or being used by power...is that not a problem of the heart? If humans do not use their power for wrong it an be a good thing. I believe such power can help us. In that respect, I know you will be fine. It sure helped you out this time. Am I right?" Citan asked.

"I want to believe that. But something is holding me back. This Gear...Well Whatever. At least Elly is safe now."

"She seems to have come to," Citan said, giving her a quick glance-over.

"Huh...?" Elly moaned.

"I am Citan, a friend of Fei's," Citan said, introducing himself. "You almost did not make it. If Fei had not helped you, I hate to think what may have happened. But I was not too pleased with his rashness in trying to take on that Rankar with just his bare fists."

"Bare fists?" asked Elly.

"Well, I am glad that you were able to find a use for what I brought you."

"Let us just say that we are borrowing what the Kislev army left behind," Citan chuckled.

"Oh," Elly nodded. "Thank you, Fei. This makes twice now."

"Don't mention it. I'll just put it on your tab," Fei said, smiling at her.

"It is getting dark. Let us make camp now and start out early tomorrow. The both of you look tired and I need to make some repairs to our friend here."

Citan set himself hard at work on Weltall, while the crackling fire played warm color across his aging face. He gave the gear a quick checking over before coming to an unfortunate conclusion.

"It is no use. The knee actuator and bypass circuit are both ruinied. The actuator can be fixed, but the circuit needs to be replaced," Citan said. He hopped off of Weltall and walked toward the fire.

"Oh, having trouble sleeping there?" he asked, seeing Elly awake.

"Yeah..."

"I imagine you would. You have had quite a day. This is the machine Fei used when the village was attacked. There was another machine left sitting on the outskirts of the village," Citan said. He eyed Elly closely. "Nil bayer dars legus?"

Elly jumped out of her skin at hearing Citan talk to her in her native tongue. _It was yours right?_

"Just as I thought. The missing pilot from the Gear that made an emergency landing in Lahan, and the mysterious woman found wandering in the forest, they are actually one in the same person. Judging from your uniform, I would also say you are with the military, correct?" Citan asked.

"How...? Who are you?" Elly was thoroughly confused and intrigued by Citan.

"I checked the ID tags of the soldiers who died in the attack on Lahan. The design on their tags and the design on your uniform are the same.

"Do not worry, they were given proper burials. But, they may not have been too pleased to die in a foreign land," said Citan.

"Maybe," Elly conceited.

"Does Fei know about you?"

"I don't think he has realized yet."

"Most likely. Fei knows nothing of the world outside of Lahan."

"I see. So how come...?"

Citan cut off her question. "In any case, it is best if we do not pry into each other's pasts anymore."

"But..."

"Let us just say that I know a little more about the world than most do. Anyways, Elly, I have a favor I must beg you to do."

"What is it?"

"Go straight ahead and you will come to a road. Then just keep going," Citan said, kicking at some loose coals in the fire. The heat was radiating against both of them, and the menace in Citan's cool tone was crystal clear to Elly. "Would you please leave us while Fei is still asleep?"

"Unfortunate things keep happening around Fei. I would like to protect him if possible. I do not want him caught up in any vain struggles. I am also saying this for your benefit. Elly, you do not belong here. Go back to your family."

"Um...I..." Elly sighed, finding herself at a loss of just what to say to Citan.

"Do not worry. I will not tell Fei what your true identity is. I will...just tell him you went to meet up with your family."

"No, it's not that! I did something terrible to him. So, I want to apologize..."

"Something terrible?" Citan asked.

"Fei told me it was our fault your village was destroyed. Fei kept saying 'if only they hadn't come.' Then I called Fei a coward because he was trying to escape from the responsibility. But in fact it was me who was trying to escape from taking the blame. If I hadn't crash-landed there, they would all still be living peacefully now. All those innocent people wouldn't have been caught up in that tragedy. But I accused Fei..." Elly buried her head in her hands, her crimson hair cascading in waves across her shoulders. The fire really brought out the color, making her appear as a fiery-headed raven in the night.

"You are a rarity. I did not expect your people would ever think like that. To your people, surface dwellers are nothing more than domesticated animals, are they not?"

"'The Shepherds, _Abel_, took control of the surface dwelling _Lambs, _possessing the right to give life and death unto them as they see fit."

"Exactly. Yet, you seem to feel responsibility towards Fei and the villagers. Why is that?" Citan asked.

"I don't know myself," Elly admitted. "At Jugend I was taught that surface dwellers were stupid and base...and that is why we have to control them. But..."

"But upon meeting Fei, something about him made you feel differently?"

"Yes. He's no different than we are...in fact he seemed more powerful. He possesses something. Something we don't. He also risked his life to save me, twice."

"Most of your people would feel ashamed at receiving such an act. Yet, you are grateful to Fei."

"It's probably because of my father. He had an open mind to surface dwellers. My nanny was a surface dweller, a _Lamb_. No one knew about her, though. Besides, I am the same as Fei."

"The same?"

"No, Nothing, Nevermind."

"Hmm. I think I understand. I am sorry. After just saying we should not pry...It is my nature, you know? My wife says I am too persistent and that I talk too much. But, personally, I do not think I talk to much," Citan laughed. "It is probably best if you return home to your country. You really should not be here."

"I'll return to headquarters. But then what..."

"You are worried."

"Yes."

"Worrying is natural. Even I used to worry once too, you know?" Citan tried to smile.

"Oh, Citan," Elly giggled. She was taking a liking to his strange doctor, dressed in his even stranger robes. She kept her eye on Fei, willing him to stay asleep.

"Anyway, let me handle what to tell Fei. You had better go now."

Elly nodded, simply stood, and left. Her shadow did not follow her as she made her way quietly through the trees and out of the forest.

The morning was kinder to them, but still dark. Fei had arisen to find Citan already up and staring at Weltall. Elly was nowhere to be seen.

"Has Elly gone yet?" Fei asked.

"Oh, so you are awake?" Citan replied.

"Yes, I woke up midway, so I only heard part of what you two were discussing. Elly, so that's what she is?"

"Fei, she is..."

"I know. It's not Elly's fault. What happened to the village is all my fault. I took out all my pent up feelings on Elly. I'm the one who should apologize."

"Fei, do not blame yourself. It was not your fault either. You were just trying to protect the village."

"Thanks, doc. By the way, how is everyone from the village doing?" Fei asked.

Citan adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and ran a hand through his jet-black hair. He kept his eyes trained on Weltall, mysteriously.

"Do not worry," he said. "Yui is taking care of them. I told her to leave soon and take them all to a certain place. They should be safe for a while. So you just worry about yourself for now."

"Okay, Doc."

"Now to think what we should do next. Shall we leave this forest and head for the desert town of Dazil? We may learn what Aveh and Kislev are up to...not to mention getting some parts for Weltall. The leader of Aveh is not going to sit back and let the other night's fiasco go by unpunished!"

Fei and Citan continued to move through the forest, find an exit opposite where Weltall stood. A loud noise erupted from overhead, and Fei looked up to see a rather large ship flying in the sky above them.

"What is that?" Fei asked.

"I would assume it is an aerial battleship from Aveh..."

"An aerial battleship? I've never heard of Aveh having anything like that."

"Of course it does not come from Aveh originally. Most likely it belongs to the Gebler forces stationed in Aveh."

"Gebler?"

"Special forces from the Sacred Empire of Solaris, known as Gebler. I am sure you have heard something about them. They are an organization providing large scale military aide to the Kingdom of Aveh. They showed up in Ignas several months ago. Until then, Aveh was being routed by Kislev. But with Gebler's help they have managed to regain half their losses. They are now expanding their territory and gathering resources buried in the ruins."

"I've heard the village elders talk about it. Is Elly part of that?"

"Quite possibly so. Their own group has superior technology and power. It is rumored they are here solely to get the resources in the ruins. I am surprised they are using something as powerful as that ship. It must be to surpress the recent border skirmishes."

"So they are fighting the Kislev Empire?" asked Fei.

"Yes. It seems they have found new ruins on the northern edge of Aveh. Those ruins are under a five-hundred-year-old temple. Three weeks ago Kislev took over those ruins. Most likely they are fighting over that."

Fei nodded, although not quite understanding, he now knew that Doc would be very handy to have around. Though he had never questioned Doc's knowledge before, Fei now wondered how it was that this mysterious man seemed to know so much of the world, when even the village elders of Lahan didn't seem to be that involved. It was something that Fei knew he was going to have to keep an eye on, that maybe Doc wasn't everything he appeared.

Most of all, Fei was beginning to think more and more about the mysterious soldier, Elly. Why did she feel so close, almost like a sister? Maybe even more?


End file.
